ODC Rules, 2010

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Application Form 2012

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Boat Space Plan 2012

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ODC Emergency General Meeting Minutes (click to download a Word version)

Warren Room, East Preston : 4.00pm Sunday 11th September 2011

37 full members of ODC were present, including committee members Vic Smith, Mike Sewell, Alan Welman, Keith Bartlett. Jane How, Bob Murdoch.

Apologies for absence were received from the following: George Schlich, Derek Chambers, Phil Shaw, Andy Woods, Rex Wilton, Michael Welman, Vic Davies, Maria Beckett, Nicholas Smith, Matthew Smith, Richard Gray, Bruce Roe and Fred Young.

Commodores report.

A map showing the outline of the revised compound boundary was distributed to all members present.

New Lease.

1. A Heads of Agreement letter has been signed by the landlords Philip and Zoe Steel and ODC representatives Vic Smith and Fred Young.
2. There will be a redefined north and west boundary, which will reduce the boat compound capacity by approximately 20 boats depending on mix. A new entry gate will be positioned by the kiosk, which will be at least as wide as the existing gate. There will be sufficient manoeuvring space to cater for our largest cats. The kiosk, caravan park and toilet block will be managed by the landlords in the future.
3. ODC members will have access rights for boats on trailers to the boat compound via the existing main car park gate and new kiosk gate. The landlords will allow the supply of metered water and electricity
4. The new 20year lease will commence on 1st January 2012 with review points every 5 years.
5. The first year's rent will reflect the reduced income from the kiosk lease and the caravan park and the estimated reduction in boat spaces. Year 2 to 5 rent will be negotiated on a formula based on actual boat space capacity achieved in 2012.
6. An access/disruption allowance of £1000 will be paid to the ODC by the end of 2011.
7. Caravan winter storage will be maintained at 9 from September 2011 to March 2012.
8. Boundary fence and bank changes will be at Landlords expense.
9. The new Lease is targeted to be agreed and signed by the end of September 2011.

New Compound Layout

1. The boundary changes will reduce the boat spaces by approximately 20 boats depending on mix. This includes removal of the bank.
2. There will be a new compound gate by the kiosk.
3. There is a plan to remove the two sail stores and put the shelves in part of the clubhouse and only provide two sets of rack spaces. This will provide additional boat spaces.
4. We have produced a number of cad generated boat compound layouts.
5. In general these layouts fit between 58 and 62 boats depending on mix. The final number will only be realized when fit boats into the compound in the second half of November.

Top Level Major milestones

1. Agreement on boat space rules, Mid September.
2. New Lease finalized and signed. End of September
3. Communicate to all members the outcome of the EGM and boat preparation instruction for November Compound layout. Wk 3 September.
4. New boundary fence and bank removal. Wk 2 November
5. Compound Layout work. Wk 4 November
6. Communicate the new Compound Layout to all members. Wk 2 December.

The committee will draw up a detail plan and let members know what to do about sail storage, mast being taken down, boat identification etc. We will certainty require help in November to layout the compound we will get in touch in October to ask for assistance.

This going to be a difficult time for the club your help and patience would be very much appreciated whilst we progress through the next three months.

Questions arising from the floor were as follows, together with the committee’s responses.

 Ashley How - can the rafters of the clubhouse be used for sail storage? Under consideration.

Terry Nowell- can we go forwards towards the sea? No, our landlords have other plans

 Janet Risbridger- who will be responsible for securing boats back down after various layouts have been tried in the compound? Those ODC members making the changes will re-secure the boats.

Ian Finlayson- There could be member’s insurance issues if boats are left with masts up after 1st October. Individual members will need to check their respective insurances.

John Pearson- Can boats be left/moved into the caravan park whilst the various changes are going on? Possibly, depending on what machinery and materials are being stored in the caravan field.

Neil Harwood- Is there anyway we can stop these changes taking place? No, the landlords have the right to make the changes that are tabled.

Phil Dedman –Can we extend upwards above the safety boat shed? No, our landlords have specifically refused any extensions of this type.

Graeme Woods- Security needs to be maximised during boundary changes, and new boundary fencing needs to be in place before existing boundary fence is removed. Our landlords are aware of this issue.

Keith Bartlett, Membership Secretary, took members thru the various options open to the committee to achieve the required reduction of 20 berth spaces.

Members not renewing On average 5 members per year do not renew their subscription. So far no members have indicated their intention not to renew membership, under the terms of the £20 rebate offer made in the letter of 26th August 2011.

Andy Richards Proposed that members be asked to show their forward commitment by making an advanced “deposit for 2012 of circa £100, by mid October. There was broad support for this idea, but John Pearson felt it would discriminatory for pensioner members.

Under used boats A club rule- 13.1, already exists giving the committee the authority to ask members to remove their boats from the compound. So far, no members had indicated that they would be willing to participate in a boat share scheme to reduce the number of boats in the compound. Ian Finlayson volunteered to act as boat share co-ordinator to facilitate this process. Members felt that boat sharing was unlikely to develop until members were made aware that their boat had to be removed. A robust annual review process of a boat’s use, and of the member’s contribution towards the club, needs to be in place from now on. New members aspiring to have a boat space at some stage in the future, need to see evidence of under used boats being removed on an annual basis.

Boats stored underneath Cats. This practice will be chargeable from 2012 onwards. The practicality of storing various types of unstayed mast monos needs to be explored. Such boats would need to have suitable launching trolleys to facilitate their movement once removed from underneath the cat. The use of coffins underneath cats would not therefore be allowed, unless there were a suitable place elsewhere in the compound where they could sighted.

Members with two boat spaces This practice will no longer be allowed, and the 4/5 members involved will need to indicate which of their boats will be removed.

Local members So far there have been no volunteers from members living within pushing distance, to store their boats at home.

2011 new members and last in first out New members with allocated boat spaces for 2011 will be notified of the need to remove their boats. The meeting felt that this and the last in first out principle could remove active sailing members. The Committee needs to take a view on this.

Questions arising.

Graeme Woods. The clubhouse, in its current position wastes a lot of potentially useable space. Could it be moved to a more space efficient position? If cost was an issue here, can the club spend some of its contingency fund to finance such a change? The meeting unanimously agreed to empower the committee to use the contingency fund. Alan Welman stated that the clubhouse was positioned in the most efficient position to access boats and also it's base was very solid concrete which would be very costly to remove. The boat house was also in the best position to allow access and also to provide the best security.

Ian Finlayson: There appears to be a need both now and into the future to have a means of recording and measuring the amount of time that club members devote to the club. This could include not only sailing, but their rescue boat duties, running races, attending at compound cleaning day, or organising winter walks etc. The committee felt that this was a good suggestion , but that there was insufficient time to implement this to help determine which boats would not be offered berths for 2012.

Neil Harwood. Can the club make more space available by reducing the safety boats down to one? The committee felt that this would be a very retrograde step.

Alan Woods. Can cats be stacked in any way?

Alan Kaufma. Can boats be buried at a lower level and another boat stored above? The water table issue was felt to be a major problem here.

?member Can caravan owners store their boats in the caravan field? For 2012 this will be under the control of the landlords.

Ashley How. Can we approach the nuns living opposite the club, to lease part of their large, un used garden? This idea is well worth pursuing.

Terry Nowell How will new social members get an opportunity to gain experience of sailing? Possibly the boat share scheme , if it became a reality, could be a way forward. Existing boat owning members would need to be encouraged to let new social members go out sailing with them.

Les Wearn. One boat could be stored in each access aisle. Rescue boat crews could move such boats to the beach area as part of their duty. Depending on the compound layout, potentially up to 5-6 boats could be stored in this way.

Mark Giddings. Could we explore the possibility of using a car type turntable to store several cats in a small space? Was their any kind of vertical racking or ramp arrangement, which would enable cats to be, stacked two high?

The Commodore confirmed that the content of this meeting would be reviewed by the compound sub committee on 14 th September, and communicated to members as soon as possible afterwards.

The meeting ended at 5.30pm

Keith Bartlett ODC Membership Secretary